Roll positioning device for tape dispenser



y 956 A. c. HUMMEL 2,747,807

ROLL POSITIONING DEVICE FOR TAPE DISPENSER Filed June 26, 1953 .9 .FIG.&

INVENTOR. 4 /00.sr Cf fi UMMEL,

United States Patent'Ofice 2,747,807 Patented May 29, 1956 ROLL POSITIONING DEVICE FOR TAPE DISPENSER August C. Hummel, Cincinnati, Ohio Application June 26, 1953, Serial No. 364,345

7 Claims. (Cl. 242--55.2)

My invention relates to tape dispensers, and more particularly to the'combination of roll positioning and tensioning means for a roll of tape to be dispensed by the tape dispenser.

In the conventional semi-automatic tape dispenser, the roll of tape is merely dropped into a space kno'wn as the basketprovided at the back of the dispenser, and the resistance of the roll to unwinding movement, which I shall refer to as the tension on the roll, is dependent entirely upon the weight of the roll as it lays loosely on the bottom of the dispenser. In the past it has been suggested to provide positioning means, generally in the form of abutments or stops, to center the tape roll in upright position so that it will be in proper feeding position with respect to the dispensing rollers which serve to withdraw the desired length of tape from the roll. However, when the dispensing rollers are actuated to quickly withdraw a length of tape from the roll, the roll bobs around in the dispenser and often has a tendency to unwind excessively, thereby causing unwound tape to pile up in the rear of the dispenser. This tendency is increased as the tape roll decreases in size and thereby becomes lighter in weight. In dispensers wherein the tape roll is supported on a shaft extending through the core of the roll, the roll is essentially free moving and subject to excessive unwinding. It is to the elimination of this difficulty that the present invention is directed.

It is, therefore, a principal object of my invention to provide roll positioning and tensioning means which will both position the tape roll in the dispenser and tension it against excessive unwinding movement.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a tape dispensing device having roll positioning and tensioning means which may be selectively adjusted to accommodate tape rolls of different widths, and which will apply substantially uniform tension to the tape irrespective of the size. of the roll.

It is a further object of my invention to provide roll positioning and tensioning means for a tape dispensing device, comprising essentially a pair of adjustable guide members adapted to make resilient contact with opposite sides of the tape roll, thereby positioning the roll in predetermined position and yet sufiiciently free for controlled dispensing movement.

It is still a further object of my invention to provide tape roll positioning and tensioning means which are readily adjustable and which are of both simple and economical construction.

These and other objects of my invention which will appear hereinafter or which will be apparent to the skilled worker in the art upon reading these specifications, I accomplish by that construction and arrangement of parts of which I shall now describe an exemplary embodiment.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is an clevational view with parts broken away of a tape dispensing device incorporating my roll positioning means.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the device illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the spacing bars incorporated in my device.

Figure 6 is a partial perspective view illustrating the bottom portion of one of the guide members.

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a sectional view similar to Figure 7 illustrating the guide members in a different position.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings I have therein illustrated a tape dispensing device 1 of the type wherein the handle 2 mounted on arm 3 is moved forwardly to dispense the desired length of tape 4 from the roll 5. It will be understood that the dispenser illustrated is exemplary only, and does not constitute a limitation upon my invention since it will find utility in all types of dispensers wherein lengths of tape are adapted to be withdrawn from a supply roll.

In the embodiment illustrated the tape roll 5 is supported on a cross shaft 6 removably supported in brackets 7 and 8 carried by the side walls 9 and 10 joined together by tie rods 11. As will be evident from Figures 7 and 8, the spacing between the side walls will be such that the dispenser may accommodate a relatively wide roll of tape 5a or a relatively narrow roll of tape 5b. Since the mechanism by means of which the tape is withdrawn from the. roll, moistened, and severed into unit lengths, forms no part of my invention, such mechanism has not been illustrated although it will be readily known to the skilled worker in the art.

The tape roll is centered or otherwise positioned on the cross shaft 6 by means of the guide members 12 and 13 which extend upwardly from the base of the dispenser and contact opposite sides of the tape roll. Each of the guide members comprises a generally rectangular plate, preferably formed of resilient metal, which terminates upwardly in an outwardly curled lip 14. The members are slotted, as at 15, the slots being in alignment with the cross shaft receiving brackets '7 and 8. Thus the tape roll may be readily inserted and removed from the device without necessitating the removal of the guide members. As will be evident from Figures 2, 7 and 8, the guide members are bent or otherwise inclined inwardly so as to make resilient, pressure applying contact with the opposite sides of the tape roll.

At their lower ends the guide members 12 and 13 are provided with bayonet slots 16 and 17 adapted to be engaged with supporting rods 18 and 19 extending be tween the side walls 9 and 10 adjacent the base of the device. The supporting rods 13 and 19 also carry a plurality of spacing bars 2i having perforations 21 and 22 therein (Figure 5) through which the supporting rods 18 and 19 pass. As best seen in Figures 7 and 8, there is preferably provided a relatively wide centrally disposed spacing bar 23 to each side of which lie an equal number of the narrower spacing bars 2%]. The bars preferably will be of uniform width. The arrangement of the spacing bars on the supporting rods will be such that the guide members 12 and 13 may be selectively fitted between any adjacent pair of spacing bars, the bars acting to clamp the guide members in place. To this end, I provide a set screw 24- by means of which clamping pressure may be exerted against the spacing bars.

In setting the device up for use, the user would first remove the cross shaft 6 and loosen the set screw 24 so that the guide members 12 may be positioned in the desired spaced apart relation depending upon the width of the tape roll. As seen in Figure 7, where the tape roll is relatively wide, the guide members 12 and 13 will be equally spaced from the center bar 23 by the required number of spacing bars, which is five in the embodiment illustrated. If, on the other hand, the tape roll is relatively narrow, as in Figure 8, the guide members will be spaced outwardly from the center bar by a lesser number of spacing bars. It will be understood that the arrangement of the spacing bars may be such that each will represent, for example, an additional tape width of A. It will be understood that the widths of the spacing bars may be uniform or varied, as desired, to suit the requirements of use. Upon positioning of the guide members between the desired pairs of spacing bars and the engagement of the bayonet slots 16 and 17 with the supporting rods 18 and 19, the set screw 24 will be tightened to clamp the guide members in place. Thereupon the cross shaft 6 will be passed through the core of the tape roll and the roll dropped in place in the dispenser, the cross shaft being inserted in supporting brackets 7 and 8, and passing through the slots 15 in the guide members.

The guide plates are configured so as to exert relatively light pressure against the opposite sides of the tape roll, thereby tensioning the tape during unwinding movement by preventing uncontrolled unwinding movement of the roll which would result in excessive unwinding of the tape. At the same time the guide plates act to center the tape roll on the cross shaft in proper dispensing position.

With my improved device, the tape roll is controlled merely by placing the roll on the cross shaft and dropping it in place in the dispenser, whereupon tension is automatically applied to the roll, and the roll is always in correct position with respect to the dispensing roller, thereby assuming proper feeding of the tape and hence its accurate dispensing from the device.

Modifications may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit of it.

Having, however, described my invention in an exemplary embodiment, what I desire to secure and protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a tape dispensing device, a cross shaft extending between spaced apart supporting members on which a roll of tape to be dispensed is supported, positioning and tensioning means for maintaining tape rolls of different widths in predetermined tensioned position on the shaft, said means comprising a pair of guide members mounted between said supporting members in spaced apart relation and adapted to contact opposite sides of the tape roll, said guide members each comprising a generally rectangular plate extending upwardly from the base of the dispenser, slots in said plates for the passage of the tape roll supporting shaft, mounting means for selectively adjusting the relative positions of said guide members, said mounting means comprising a plurality of spacing bars in side-by-side contacting relation,

said guide members being adapted to be selectively positioned between adjacent pairs of said spacing bars, whereby to accommodate said guide members to tape rolls of ditferent widths.

2. The structure claimed in claim 1 including supporting rods on which said spacing bars are slidably mounted, and wherein said plates have bayonet slots along their bottom edges engageable with said supporting rod.

3. The structure claimed in claim 2 including a set screw for maintaining said spacing bars in tight contact with each other and with said guide member.

4. In a tape dispensing device, a pair of opposed side walls, brackets on said side walls for receiving a tape roll supporting cross shaft, a cross shaft supported on said brackets, a plurality of supporting rods extending between said side walls adjacent the lower edges thereof, a plurality of spacing bars slidably mounted on said supporting rod, said spacing bars extending generally parallel to said side walls in vertically disposed position, guide members extending upwardly from between adjacent pairs of said spacing bars, bayonet slots on the lower edges of said guide bars in engagement with said supporting rods, and a set screw extending through one of said side walls for contact with an outermost one of said spacing bars, whereby said spacing bars may be clamped together in face-to-face contact to maintain said guide members clamped therebetween.

5. The structure claimed in claim 4 wherein there is a centrally disposed relatively wide guide bar and an equal number of guide bars of lesser width lying to each side of said centrally disposed guide bar.

6. The structure claimed in claim 5 wherein said guide members comprise resilient plate-like elements bent inwardly so as to make resilient contact with opposite sides of a tape roll supported on said cross shaft.

7. In a tape dispensing device wherein a tape roll is supported for unwinding movement, a spaced apart pair of resilient guide members for contacting opposite sides of the tape roll, said guide members extending freely upwardly from the base of said dispenser so that a roll of tape may be conveniently positioned between said guide members, said guide members being flexed inwardly so as to make resilient contact with opposite sides of the tape roll, and spacing means for selectively adjusting the spacing of the guide members to accommodate tape rolls of varying widths, said spacing means comprising a plurality of spacing bars in side-by-side contacting relation, said guide members being adapted to be selectively positioned between adjacent pairs of said spacing bars.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,331,931 Kimberly Feb. 24, 1920 1,515,382 Cheesman Nov. 11, 1924 2,066,405 Knowlton Jan. 5, 1937 2,107,020 Williams Feb. 1, 1938 2,411,293 Roehner Nov. 19, 1946 

